GINGER
by scarylett
Summary: In which the Doctor regenerates into something great.


Rory struggled with the effort of dragging the Doctor's possibly lifeless body into the TARDIS. "You're a lot heavier than you look.." he grunted, pulling his friend into the safety of the ship. He laid him out and bent over him. The Doctor was bleeding out of a deep wound in his side. "Don't worry" Rory said, not sure if the Doctor could hear him or not. "..you'll be okay, I'll just bandage you up.." his voice was shaking.

"..No!" The Doctor let out a feeble cry and reached out to grab Rory's wrist to get him from going to get bandages.

"Doctor let me go, I've got to fix you! We've got to go find Amy" Rory said, attempting to wrench his arm free. "No...no.." The Doctor attempted to sit up, but slowly slipped down onto the floor again. "You can't fix me..."

Rory shook his head. A lump was forming in his throat. "You've only been hit, you're not going to die..you can't die!"

The Doctor turned his head to face his friend. His voice was low and sad. "There's nothing more you can do. I am going to die here, but I will live on.."

"What are y-" Rory's question was cut off by a strange sort of grunt from the Doctor. He rolled over onto his side, facing Rory. "It's happening. I'm regenerating!"

"What? Changing? You can't! Doctor!" Rory couldn't believe it. He remembered the Doctor telling him and Amy about a Time Lord's way of cheating death, but this couldn't happen. Not now.

"Too late...get out of the way!" Rory scrambled out of the way just in time, as a large burst of strange light overtook the Doctor. It spread out over his arms and face.

I felt the sensation I've felt no less that eleven- now twelve times. It felt as if every cell in my body had been placed in a microwave oven. I felt it all change. It was strange to feel so many things shift, and grow, and shrink in such a short time.

It was over. I opened my eyes. My the slight change of light take-in, I could tell they've changed color. I ran my tongue along my teeth.

"New teeth. Not something I'll ever get used to feeling." I looked over at Rory. He was staring at me, his eyes wide. He looked as if he had just seen something very scary. I suppose in a way, he had.

"Hello" I said, attempting to break the silence. My voice sounded different, I wasn't sure yet if I liked it. Rory didn't say anything. He was still staring at me though.

"Let's go find Amy then" I said, stading up. The sudden movement gave me a head rush. It didn't help that I was standing on new legs either. I swayed on the spot, but Rory reached out to steady me. He spoke finally, "You're..different" he said, looking at my face.

"Good different?" I asked quietly. I didn't think I could deal with looking ugly. Rory looked as if he was searching for words.

"I think you'd like it" he said finally. I didn't have time to ponder what he meant. A sort of stomping noise was coming from outside.

"Amy!" Rory shouted, running towards the doors. "I told her to stay hidden while I brought you back. What if they found her?" he was attempting to wrench the doors open.

"Relax" I told him. I reached into the pocket of my jacket, which didn't fit quite right on my new torso. I pulled out sonic screwdriver and held it up like a weapon. "Norxisaxoulisi are very dim witted, besides that sound was probably them retreating." I flung open the doors and ran outside, Rory behind me.

It was dark now. Patches of pale moonlight peeked onto the sickly green grass. There were no stars in the ski, but there was a large silver moon hanging in the sky. I knew this to mean the Norxisaxoulisi had gone back to their base. They never stayed out in the light of their moon.

"Which way is she?" I asked Rory. Rory started towards a gap in the trees. I follwed him.

"She's around here somewhere.." Rory looked very worried that we might never find her. That was possible but highly unlikely.

"Over there!" I said, dashing towards a clearing that was vissible through the trees.

Amy lay out in the middle, her hair spread out over her face. Her arm looked broken, and she was out cold.

"Amy! Amy!" Rory and I ran to her side. Rory put her face in his hands. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Rory..I tried to come find you..I know you said to stay but I was so worried about you and the Doctor-" she looked as if she was going to cry. I knew she only wanted to help. I knew Amy wasn't the type to stay put, she liked being in the action.

"Shh..it's ok, you're ok" Rory told her. "W-where's the Doctor?" she asked.

"I'm here" I told her. I leaned over towards her so she could see me. I remembered all too late that I had regenerate. I still hadn't a chance to get a good look at myself.

"What happened to you?" she asked. "I've..regenerated. I was hit, as were you. I see" I said, looking at mer arm.

"Well I was stepped on by one of those things" she said, wincing as she pulled her arm up.

"She needs medical attention." said Rory. "Here" I said, pulling off my tweed jacket. I didn't feel like it felt right anyways. I was already planning in my head what sort of new clothes to put on once we got inside. Rory made Amy a makeshift sling out of my jacket the best he could.

We walked back to the TARDIS, and put Amy in a bed in the medical room. Rory found some pain pills in the cupboard and gave her some. While he was busy, I crossed to room to the sink and looked in the mirror above it. I stood in pure awe at what I saw. i couldn't believe it. Finally, after all this time...,

"Woohoo!" my suddened cry made Amy jump and Rory dropped the glass of water he was holding. It shattered.

"What was that? You scarred the crap out of me!" he complained, but I wasn't listening.

"I'm ginger! Ginger! Why didn't either of you tell me sooner!" I stared back into the mirror. A blue-eyed, sightly freckled, red haired man stared back.

"Oh yeah" said Rory, bending down to pick up the glass. "I noticed earlier, told you you'd like it." he said, tossing the glass in the trash. "Welcome to the ginger club then, I suppose" said Amy with a smile.

"I need new clothes.." I said before leaving. I entered the wardrobe room and began shifting through everything. I eventually settled on a pair of demin overalls, a maroon jumper and a pair of balck boots. I sauntered back into the consolde room. Amy was sitting with Rory. He arm was in a proper cast now. They both stared as I enteted.

"that's what you're wearing?" said an astonished Amy. "Yes" I said "Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing" she said. "What about the bow tie?" asked Rory.

"Oh, I just wasn't feeling it anymore" I said, walking towards the console.

"But..but bow ties are cool" they said, as if they still couldn't believe it. "Seriously? I finally give it up and you decide it's cool?" I shook my head.

"It's just a bit odd, is all" said Amy. "Yeah" agreed Rory. "In case you haven't noticed, you look different.

"Oh really? Do I? I hadn't noticed!" I rolled my eyes.

"It's not just that" Rory said. "You sound different, you act different, you even walk different.

"Yes, but I'm still me!" I said. I don't think I could deal with it if they couldn't accept me.

"Of course you are." Amy said, giving Rory a look. "Where to next then?" she asked.

"Dunno, we need to head somewhere lowkey, your arm still needs rest.

"Alright" she agreed. "There's something I don't get though.." she said.

"What's that?" I asked. "Why did those aliens attack us when they saw us, we didn't do anthing."

"You didn't, but I did. About a hundred years ago, I destroyed their capital base." I admitted.

"Doctor!" they both sounded appalled.

"It was an accident!..sort of..anyways, I wouldn't worry..for the most part..we're not going back there."

"Good" they said, sitting down.

"Well" I said. "Any suggestions?" I turned towards the console.

"How about the museum?" suggested Amy. "Rory still hasn't seen the Van Gogh paintings!"

"Oh right!" I said "You'll love 'em Rory! Next stop..the museum!"

I pulled several lever and felt the TARDIS lurch.

"Allons-y!"

I ran my hands through my ginger hair.

It felt nice.


End file.
